“But even worse for artists: when the cost of distributing art goes up, the number of companies involved in it goes down. We all know what that looks like: the record industry, cable TV, the studio system. All systems where there’s a buyer’s market for art, where the big companies have artists over a barrel.

“Frankly, the only way to police the net for infringement is to throttle it. And that’s exactly what the proactive policing that many artists are calling for would do. […]

Not only is this the height of arrogance — “Shut up about your life and everything important to you so that I can Make Art!” — it’s also major bad news for artists. […]

So yes, let’s stand up for artist’s rights — starting with the right to speak freely, without being filtered by a lawyer, and with the right to walk out of the traditional publishing channels and into a better deal in the new world.”